Apparatus for comminuting, separating, manipulating and pumping materials

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for pumping and comminuting, and otherwise treating viscous and semi-solid materials includes a housing having an axial inlet and tangential outlet and a rotor in the housing having at least one semi-cylindrical blade disposed at an angle to the axis of rotation, the straight edge of the blade facing the inlet and having a medially disposed recessed cut out portion to prevent back-up and jamming of materials.

United States Patent 1 Neidl APPARATUS FOR COMMINUTING, SEPARATING,MANIPULATING AND PUMPING MATERIALS [76] Inventor: Georg Neidl, lM Bisch664, Schaan,

Liechtenstein [22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1971 21 Appl. No; 199,964

[52] U.S. Cl. 241/46.11 [51] Int. Cl. B02c 13/10 [58] Field of Search241/4611, 46.17,

[ 5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,067,960 12/1962 Neidl24l/255 [111 3,738,582 1 June 12, 1973 3,375,983 4/1968 Von Eiff et .al241/4611 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Christen &Sabol [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for pumping and comminuting, and otherwisetreating viscous and semi-solid materials includes a housing having anaxial inlet and tangential outlet and a rotorv in the housing having atleast one semicylindrical blade disposed at an angle to the axis ofrotation, the straight edge of the blade facing the inlet and having amedially disposed recessed cut out portion to prevent back-up andjamming of materials.

22 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented June 12, 1973 2 ShutuShoct 1 I22liiiiu fi l ll F/GJ 2 Shwts-SMM 2 APPARATUS FOR COMMINUTING, SEPARATING,MANIPULATING AND PUMPING MATERIALS The invention concerns a device forthe comminution, separation, manipulation, processing, pumping andsimilar treatment of substances of various kinds.

Devices for comminution of impurities contained in sewage, of thicksubstances, etc. have been known where the barrel of a pump formed as aneliptical disc has been attached in a cylindrical housing on a shaftdisposed concentrically in relation to the housing and slantingly inrelation to the axis of the shaft, which barrel on its periphery hasteeth, serrations, or similar projections, which are in engagement withgrooves dis posed at the inside periphery of the housing.

These known devices, to be sure, generally fulfill the requirements madeof them. However, particular difficult conditions may arise which wouldseem to make it desirable to assure to an even stronger degree not onlya comminution but a processing and manipulation of the substances to betreated.

In pump construction, moreover, a device has become known where in twosymmetrical semi-circular discs are attached to the shaft in such a waythat their lines of symmetry cross the axis of the shaft.

According to the disclosure of German Pat. No. 1,528,778 the proposalhas already been made in the case of devices of the initially describedvariety, for the use of a rotor which consists of at least two discsdisposed obliquely in relation to the axis of the shaft, which discs areformed as semi-circular discs, and which are attached on the shaft inpairs symmetrically and obliquely in relation to the axis of the shaftand at a slant in relation to one another in such a way that theircommon line of connection forms the edge of a vertex intersecting theaxis of the shaft and facing the inlet.

The invention is based on the task, of carrying out, with devices of theabove mentioned type and even in the case of occurrence of difficultoperational conditions, both a comminution as well as a preparation,separation, manipulation, pumping and similar treatment reliably andstill more effectively in continuous operation, without any stalling orpremature wear of the de vice.

According to the invention, this task is solved in such a way that inthe case of a device of the initially described type the rotor consistsof two semi-circular discs which are attached on the shaft in pairssymmetrically and obliquely in relation to the axis of the shaft andslanting in the relation to one another such that their joint connectingline intersects the axis of the shaft, facing the inlet connection, andin which recesses open toward the middle portion of the edge of thevertex, have been provided in both discs.

The invention has the advantage that the edge of the vertex of the rotorfacing the inlet connection achieves a partial division of the materialfed in while another portion of the material in the center enters intothe two recesses in the discs and thus moves behind the two discs, andis moved here radially to the outside, on the inside surfaces of thediscs adjacent the bearing. The result is that the edge of the vertexwhich is divided in two parts will have a certain peripheral speed allalong its radial length so that beside the splitting effect, thatportion of the edge of the vertex which would have only very smallperipheral speeds, or none at all, and which could cause a dammingeffect is entirely eliminated because of the recessed openings. In thismanner, clogging or plugging of the inlet will be avoided even in thecase of the most difficult substances.

The drawings show the invention by way of embodiments shown as examples.

FIG. 1 shows an axial cross-section through a device with flat surfacedsemi-circular discs disposed at acute angle in relation to one another,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective presentation of a part of another embodimentwith arched semi-circular discs,

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2, in axial sectioninclusive of the entire housing and with housing formed in a manner of acone,

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment with additional discs disposedcross-shaped,

FIG. 5 shows embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2 in which only theinlet portion is shown, with the inlet and the two discs in perspective,and wherein grooves are provided on the inlet,

FIG. 6 is a top view of one of the semi-circular discs with additionalperforations,

FIG. 7 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 2 in which thehousing is formed as a flattened sphere,

FIG. 8 is a further embodiment shown in crosssection on line 8-8 of FIG.9 in which the housing is encased by a jacket, and

FIG. 9 shows an axial section through the device of FIG. 8 following theline 99 of FIG. 8.

According to the embodiment of the FIG. I, a rotor 2 is taper boremounted by means of an attaching web 29 on a driving shaft 3 inside acylindrical housing 1, said rotor consisting of two flat semi-circulardiscs 5 disposed at an acute angle in relation to one another andsymmetrically in relation to the shaft 3, the free edges 6 of said discsbeing equipped with teeth 7 which engage with peripheral grooves 8disposed concentrically on the inside wall of the housing 1. The discs 5meet in a common vertex edge 9 in such a way that the latter intersectsthe axis of the shaft and runs parallel to the transverse plane 10 ofthe housing 1. Each of the semi-circular discs is provided with a recess12 which begins at the central portion of the vertex 9 and extendsrearwardly to about the mid-portion 13 of each side.

Because of this construction of the discs the material entering, forexample, at the vertex 9 upon striking said vertex is divided into twostreams which flow along on the outside surface of each disc 5, so thatthe material is thrown toward the outside under the effect ofcentrifugal force and reaches the area of the peripheral grooves 8 andis comminuted in these grooves through cooperation with the teeth 7 onthe discs 5 and is homogenized and mixed.

The recesses 12 have the purpose of permitting an undisturbed, continuedinward movement in the direction indicated by arrow 15 to a portion ofthe material that is to be treated, and especially to that part which islocated in the vicinity of the center of the inlet connection 14, sothat these portions will reach the inside space 16 between the two discs5 and are seized there by the inside surfaces of the discs 5 and arethrown outwardly under the effect of centrifugal force, so that thesepotions of the material that are to be treated, will also finally reachthe area of the peripheral grooves 8 coacting with the teeth 7 and arecomminuted, manipulated, etc. here.

The recesses 12 have the further advantage that in the neighboring areaof the rotational axis, in which the peripheral speed of the vertex 9would be low, for example, practically zero, the material that is to betreated will reach the inside space 16 by passing unimpeded through therecess so that in this area no disadvantageous stoppages can develop andwhile the material meeting only those parts of the vertex 9 which havehigher peripheral speeds, are not only separated from the edge of thevertex by the material following through from the inlet connection 14,but they are, at the same time, also moved on into the outlet.

FIG. 2 shows a device similar to the one in FIG. 1 where thesemi-circular discs are arched as viewed in a direction normal to aplane disposed at right angles to the vertex 9.

According to FIG. 3, the housing 17 is formed with a conicalconfiguration so that the smallest diameter 18 of the cone correspondsto the inside diameter 19 of the inlet connection 14. As a result, thedanger of plugging up will be avoided in a still more efficient mannerbecause the housing is adapted to the wedge shape of the rotor 2.

The conical configuration of the housing has the particular advantagethat the entering material which is to be treated on the annulargrooves, follow paths having increasing diameters and thus is exposed toprogressively larger centrifugal forces. As a result, the transitionfrom the inlet connection, up to the full radial groove diameter is notas abrupt. A further advantage consists in this, that the axial forcescaused by the rotor acting against the bearing of the driving shaft inthe inside of the housing due to the constricted space between the rotorand the inlet by the conical widening to a certain extent, so that thedanger of stoppage will largely be avoided. In view of a conical shapeof the housing, it is also necessary to make the serrations on the rotorconical. In this modification of the device, even fibrous componentswill also be torn apart in a particularly effective manner, whichcomponents are not comminuted by the customary beater mills. Even sinewsfrom slaughter waste, as well as meat, and particularly tough textilesmade of synthetic fibers such as nylon, perlon, etc. are comminutedwithout difficulty by the device according to the invention. Evenexceedingly resistant straw can be improved to a high degree with thedevice according to the invention.

In the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, transverse radial plates30 are provided additionally on the side of the discs 25 facing theshaft, which engage with their teeth 31 along the length indicated bynumeral 32 with the corresponding grooves 33 of the housing.

This embodiment has the advantage that the substance is put into evenmore intensive rotation, so that the manipulating effect of the twodiscs 5 is assisted by the radial plates 30, and as a result of that, itis possible to achieve particularly favorable continuation andhomogenization effects.

As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 5, special teeth 39 may beprovided on the vertex which are disposed to coact with annular grooves41 running concentrically in relation to the axis of the housing and onthe inside inner surface of the inlet cover 42. The two rear-edges 43 ofthe rotor 2 can also be provided with teeth in the same way, which teethengage with annular grooves on the bearing side of the cover of thehousing.

At the same time, transverse channels 44 can be provided on the inletcover 42 as well as on the cover on the bearing side.

By use of the teeth 39, in connection with the grooves 41 and thetransverse channels 44, any possibility of jamming developing in thearea of the two inside surfaces of the covers and any stalling of therotor can be avoided.

According to FIG. 6, perforations 45 of various shapes, includingcircular, elliptical, rectangular, or irregular variations thereof, canbe provided in the discs 5 in addition to the recess 12, through whichfor one thing the resistance, in the case of particularly thick materialthat is to be conveyed, is lowered, because parts of this conveyedmaterial can pass through these additional openings during therotational movements of the discs. For another thing, these perforationshave an additional comminuting effect since comminution,homogenization,etc. is accomplished, particularly at the edges of theperforations, by impact and kneading processes. Besides, as a result ofthat, considerably greater turbulences occur within the material whichare advantageous for their processing.

In FIG. 7, the housing is formed, in cross-section, in the shape of abody of revolution especially a sphere, whereby the rotor 2 is providedwith teeth 46 which engage with corresponding annular grooves 47 on theinside surface of the housing.

The development in the form of a body of revolution has the advantagethat the arched shape of the discs 5 oppose the arched inside surfacesof the housing in such a way that, as viewed in radial cross-section,essentially elliptical receiving spaces are provided for the materialthat is to be treated, which are indicated in the figure by dottedlines. As a result, whirling effects within the material will beachieved which bring about a particularly favorable comminuting result.

According to the embodiment of the FIG. 8 and 9, the rotor 2 moves in acylindrical housing 56 provided with perforations 58, which housing isenclosed by a jacket 57. In this way, the material is not onlycomminuted, but is also sifted, since the perforations 58 act in themanner of a sieve and the more finely comminuted material will reach thespace 57 in the jacket between the housing 56 and the jacket 57, fromwhich it is removed through the outlet connection 68 extending downwardswhile the part of the material which has not been comminuted asthoroughly, will reach the outlet connection 62 via the lateral insideconnection 61.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for comminuting, processing and pumping materialscomprising a housing having an interior defined by a surface ofrevolution, said housing being provided with an axial inlet at one endfor material to be processed and a transverse outlet for processedmaterial disposed medially of the housing, a rotor in said housingmounted concentrically with the axis of said surface of revolution, saidrotor being provided with two semi-circular discs disposed obliquelywith respect to said axis and converging inwardly towards each other inthe direction of said inlet to intersect each other along a linetransverse to said axis, at least one of said discs being provided witha cut-out opening which includes an area of the disc defined on one sideby a medial portion of said line of intersection.

2. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the outlet is disposedgenerally tangentially with respect to said surface of revolution.

3. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the outlet is disposedgenerally radially with respect to the axis of said surface ofrevolution.

4. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the surfaces of said discsfacing the inlet are arcuately formed with their concavities facing theinlet.

5. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said surface of revolutiondefining the interior of the housing is generally a frustum of a cone,the smallest radius thereof being adjacent the inlet.

6. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said surface of revolutiondefining the interior of the housing is generally defined by a curvedgeneratrix the concave side of which faces the interior of the housing.

7. apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein said surface of revolution isgenerally a frustum of an ellipse.

8. Apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein said surface of revolution isgenerally a frustum of a sphere.

9. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein both of said discs are providedwith cut-out openings which include areas defined on one side by amedial portion of said line of intersection between the two discs, andthe curved peripheral margins of said discs include a series of teethwhich are engageable with annular grooves provided in the interiorsurface of the housing.

10. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said rotor also includes atleast two longitudinally extending radially outwardly projecting platesdisposed behind said discs and engaging with the interior of the housingalong no more than one-half the length thereof.

11. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the peripheral margins of saidplates are provided with teeth which engage with annular groovesprovided in the interior surface of the housing.

12. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the margins of said discsdefined by said line of intersection are provided with teeth, and theinterior surface of the housing surrounding the inlet is provided withannular grooves which are engaged by the teeth on the discs.

13. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the rotor includes aconcentric driving shaft projecting outwardly of the housing opposite tosaid inlet, said housing including bearing means to rotatably supportthe shaft, the interior surface of the housing surrounding the bearingmeans being generally planar, and being provided with at least oneannular groove, the rear margins of said rotor being provided with teethengageable with said groove surrounding the bearing means.

14. Apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein the interior surface of thehousing surrounding the inlet is generally planar and is provided withat least one annular groove, the margins of the discs defined by saidline of intersection being provided with teeth engageable with saidgroove surrounding the inlet.

15. Apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein said surface surrounding thebearing means is also provided with transverse channels.

16. Apparatus defined in claim 14, wherein said surface surrounding theinlet is also provided with transverse channels.

17. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said discs is providedwith a cut-out opening which includes an area defined on one side by amedial portion of said line of intersection, said discs beingsymmetrical mirror images of each other.

18. Apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein portions of the margins ofsaid discs are provided with teeth en: gageable with annular groovesprovided in the interior surface of the housing.

19. Apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein said discs are also providedwith an additional aperture to permit portions of incoming material topass directly to the rear of a disc.

20. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said housing iscircumferentially surrounded by a jacket having an interior spacetherein, said housing being provided with perforations establishingcommunication between the interior of the housing and the interior spaceof the jacket.

21. Apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein said outlet of the housing isin communication only with a space exterior of the jacket, and saidjacket is provided with a separate outlet means.

22. Apparatus defined in claim 21, wherein the axis of said housingextends horizontally, said perforations in the housing extend over thelower portion thereof and the separate outlet means for the jacketextends downwardly from a lower portion of the jacket.

1. Apparatus for comminuting, processing and pumping materialscomprising a housing having an interior defined by a surface ofrevolution, said housing being provided with an axial inlet at one endfor material to be processed and a transverse outlet for processedmaterial disposed medially of the housing, a rotor in said housingmounted concentrically with the axis of said surface of revolution, saidrotor being provided with two semi-circular discs disposed obliquelywith respect to said axis and converging inwardly towards each other inthe direction of said inlet to intersect each other along a linetransverse to said axis, at least one of said discs being provided witha cut-out opening which includes an area of the disc defined on one sideby a medial portion of said line of intersection.
 2. Apparatus definedin claim 1, wherein the outlet is disposed generally tangentially withrespect to said surface of revolution.
 3. Apparatus defined in claim 1,wherein the outlet is disposed generally radially with respect to theaxis of said surface of revolution.
 4. Apparatus defined in claim 1,wherein the surfaces of said discs facing the inlet are arcuately formedwith their concavities facing the inlet.
 5. Apparatus defined in claim1, wherein said surface of revolution defining the interior of thehousing is generally a frustum of a cone, the smallest radius thereofbeing adjacent the inlet.
 6. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein saidsurface of revolution defining the interior of the housing is generallydefined by a curved generatrix the concave side of which faces theinterior of the housing.
 7. apparatus defined in claim 6, wherein saidsurface of revolution is generally a frustum of an ellipse.
 8. Apparatusdefined in claim 6, wherein said surface of revolution is generally afrustum of a sphere.
 9. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein both ofsaid discs are provided with cut-out openings which include areasdefined on one side by a medial portion of said line of intersectionbetween the two discs, and the curved peripheral margins of said discsinclude a series of teeth which are engageable with annular groovesprovided in the interior surface of the housing.
 10. Apparatus definedin claim 1, wherein said rotor also includes at least two longitudinallyextending radially outwardly projecting plates disposed behind saiddiscs and engaging with the interior of the housing along no more thanone-half the length thereof.
 11. Apparatus defined in claim 1, whereinthe peripheral margins of said plates are provided with teeth whichengage with annular grooves provided in the interior surface of thehousing.
 12. Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the margins of saiddiscs defined by said line of intersection are provided with teeth, andthe interior surface of the housing surrounding the inlet is providedwith annular grooves which are engaged by the teeth on the discs. 13.Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the rotor includes a concentricdriving shaft projecting outwardly of the housing opposite to saidinlet, said housing including bearing means to rotatably support theshaft, the interior surface of the housing surrounding the bearing meansbeing generally planar and being provided with at least one annulargroove, the rear margins of said rotor being provided with teethengageable with said groove surrounding the bearing means.
 14. Apparatusdefined in claim 13, wherein the interior surface of the housingsurrounding the inlet is generally planar and is provided with at leastone annular groove, the margins of the discs defined by said line ofintersection being provided with teeth engageable with said groovesurrounding the inlet.
 15. Apparatus defined in claim 13, wherein saidsurface surrounding the bearing means is also provided with transversechannels.
 16. Apparatus defined in claim 14, wherein said surfacesurrounding the inlet is also provided with transverse channels. 17.Apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein each of said discs is providedwith a cut-out opening which includes an area defined on one side by amedial portion of said line of intersection, said discs beingsymmetrical mirror images of each other.
 18. Apparatus defined in claim17, wherein portions of the margins of said discs are provided withteeth engageable with annular grooves provided in the interior surfaceof the housing.
 19. Apparatus defined in claim 18, wherein said discsare also provided with an additional aperture to permit portions ofincoming material to pass directly to the rear of a disc.
 20. Apparatusdefined in claim 1, wherein said housing is circumferentially surroundedby a jacket having an interior space therein, said housing beingprovided with perforations establishing communication between theinterior of the housing and the interior space of the jacket. 21.Apparatus defined in claim 20, wherein said outlet of the housing is incommunication only with a space exterior of the jacket, and said jacketis provided with a separate outlet means.
 22. Apparatus defined in claim21, wherein the axis of said housing extends horizontally, saidperforations in the housing extend over the lower portion thereof andthe separate outlet means for the jacket extends downwardly from a lowerportion of the jacket.